ES2361903T3 - Vacuum sealing valve and vacuum pump - Google Patents

Abstract

A vacuum sealing valve (10) suitable for application to a lid (L) for the air-tight closure of a container (C) for the packaging of products, particularly food products, comprising a closure body (12) arranged to seal a hole (H) to evacuate air from the container (C), characterized in that at least one punching member (14) protrudes from said closure body (12), said punching member being adapted to pierce the lid ( L) that closes the container (C) so as to form said evacuation hole (H).

Description

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Vacuum sealing valve and vacuum pump

The present invention generally relates to vacuum packaging technology, specifically food. More specifically, the invention relates to vacuum packaging of perishable foods or similar products in containers provided with a tight-fitting lid.

Specifically, the invention relates to a vacuum sealing valve for application to the lid of a

10 container, of the type described in the preamble of claim 1, and a vacuum pump adapted to suck air and produce a reduced pressure in a vacuum system, such as a food container provided with the above-mentioned sealing valve, of according to the preamble of claim 6.

Containers for vacuum packaging of food products, or in any case of items that are

15 perishables if they are in prolonged contact with the atmosphere, have been known for decades. Among these, the most widespread containers in the domestic field to preserve freshly prepared foods are generally cylindrical rigid containers, such as jars or boats made of glass, aluminum or plastic, provided with a sealing lid to close the mouth. The containers intended for use for vacuum packaging are produced industrially and comprise a lid provided with a valve or vacuum sealing device

20 similar, adapted to re-close an air evacuation hole previously made during the industrial manufacture of such covers. A conventional pumping device for sucking air and creating a reduced pressure ("the vacuum") therein can be incorporated into such containers, for example a vacuum packaging machine.

A vacuum sealing device is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 2,416,900, and is formed by a valve body housed in a dedicated seat made of a lid arranged for vacuum and sealed closure of a bottle. .

Similar solutions, in which the air evacuation hole is previously made during production

30 industrial container and prior to valve assembly, are typically used to provide flexible, collapsible containers. Among these, patent application WO 2005/093303 A1, which is considered as the closest state of the art, describes a vacuum sealing device applied to a bag for vacuum food packaging, which includes a closure body flexible coupled with a thermo-welded valve seat on the edge of an evacuation hole made on one side of the bag. The closing body has a sealing diaphragm,

35 adapted to cooperate with a surface of the valve seat that surrounds a plurality of radial evacuation openings, in order to ensure the tight seal of the container. An axial rod emerges from the head of the closure body, whose tip-shaped end interferes with a coaxial annular support surface of the sealing device so that it retains the closure body stably, preventing any movement of movement thereof stem shaft length. The diaphragm is flexible and capable of being removed from the surface

40 of the valve seat in an operational suction state, thus allowing air evacuation.

An alternative mechanical pump, which can be operated manually, to suck air from a receptacle and a multipurpose disk-shaped lid to close a mouth of the container and maintain the reduced pressure created therein over time are described, for example , in US Patent 5,364,241.

45 As an alternative to the industrial manufacture of containers equipped with suitable lids for vacuum packaging thereof, artisanal solutions are known for transforming a common sealed jar into a suitable container for vacuum packaging. Such solutions are based on providing a set of devices, generally comprising a pin or similar tool for piercing a jar lid and a

50 plurality of portions of an adhesive film, adapted to be disposed on the surface of the lid in the hole obtained and to allow the evacuation of the air and the subsequent sealing of the hole due to the reduced pressure inside the container.

Such a solution is at the base of the device known by the trade name of "Pump‘ n ’Seal" of Pioneering 55 Concepts, Inc ..

The present invention has the object of providing a simplified system for the domestic transformation of a sealed container into a container for vacuum packaging that is easy to use and has a high efficiency, avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved due to a vacuum sealing valve having the characteristics mentioned in claim 1, and a vacuum pump having the characteristics mentioned in claim 5.

65 Specific embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims, the contents of which are

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In summary, the present invention is based on the principle of combining in a single device the function of perforating the lid of the container, to create an air evacuation hole, and the function of a valve for evacuating air from the container and for sealing of the same.

The vacuum sealing valve according to the invention can be used in combination with any means for evacuating air from a container, including, for example, a vacuum packaging machine or a manual mechanical pump.

Advantageously, the alternative vacuum pump according to the invention adds features to the typical functionalities of such a pump which makes it suitable for use with the sealing valves according to the invention.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in more detail in the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1a, 1b and 1c are perspective sectional views of a sealing valve of the invention;

Figures 2a and 2b are global views of a vacuum packaging system based on the principles of the invention, of the respective component elements separated and mounted in an operating state, respectively;

Figures 3a-3h are cross-sectional views representative of the succession of operative stages of vacuum packaging by means of the system according to the invention;

Figures 4a-4d are, respectively, cross-sectional and perspective views related to a second embodiment of a vacuum pump for a vacuum packaging system based on the principle of the invention;

FIGS. 5a and 5b are seen in cross-section by way of example of a container with a sealed seal for vacuum packaging according to the invention; Y

Figures 6a-6d are exemplary views of different applications of an alternative vacuum packaging system 35, provided with a sealing valve according to the invention.

In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements or components are indicated by the same reference numbers.

A sealing valve according to the invention for application to a lid of a container with a sealed closure is generally indicated by reference number 10, and comprises a disc-shaped closure body 12 and a punching member 14, which emerges from the closure member through a rod 22 which has at its free end a punching head 24 that projects transversely with respect to the rod so that it defines a tip-shaped formation 26 and ends with a sharp point 28.

With reference to the conditions of use, in the following description with the term "upper face" of the closing body, the surface of the disc that is turned out of the lid in the assembled state, indicated with 12a in the figures, will be identified . With the term "underside", on the other hand, the surface of the disc that is oriented towards the lid in the assembled state, indicated with 12b in the figures, will be identified.

50 The punching member 14 is preferably made of a rigid plastic material. Advantageously, this is manufactured integrally with the closing body of the valve, also of rigid plastic material, for example by a common injection molding process or molding process, although in an alternative embodiment it could be joined together with the closing body, made of metal or plastic material, by means of

55 nails, screws or cofusion.

Advantageously, the manufacture of the entire valve in plastic material allows considerable material savings and production costs, as well as an increased resistance thereof in relation to prolonged use and less contamination between the assembled parts.

60 The valve 10 is arranged for punching a conventional cover, for example, a hermetic cover made of sheet metal material, introducing the tip 28 into the sheet metal of the lid. The air evacuation hole thus created also has the function of housing the valve, which is retained by means of the tip formation 26 adapted to rest on the edge of the evacuation hole and consequently prevent extraction

65 complete valve.

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The height of the stem 22 defines the possible travel of the valve in its seat, from a vacuum-tight closing position, in which the closing body is placed in very close contact with the surface of the lid and closes the evacuation hole of air, to an open position, in which the closing body is arranged raised with

5 with respect to the surface of the lid in order to allow the passage of air between the inside of the container and the outside.

The closing body 12 has a front sealing portion made by a coating 30 made of deformable plastic material, for example a material with a high coefficient of elastic deformation and a high pneumatic seal, such that it can be formed on the body of the cap creating an air seal and is capable

10 also to be chemically attached to the rigidly structured plastic part of the valve body, coating being applied on at least part of the lower face 12b of the closing body. Preferably, the coating extends over most of the lower face and over the side face, and even more preferably the coating covers the entire closure body 12, thus allowing its marking on the upper face 12a.

Advantageously, the coating layer is applied on the closing body of plastic material by means of a molding process, which allows both the rigid valve body and the relative coating to be obtained directly with a single molding step. In this case, it is also possible to obtain a chemical bond of the materials, thus avoiding the formation of possible air passages that could damage the effectiveness of the valve.

20 On the underside of the valve, the coating 30 is shaped such that it forms a succession of grooves 32 and annular ridges 34, concentric with respect to the punching member 14. More generally, the coating forms at least one crest that is extends along a closed path around the punching member, so that it forms a sealing ring adapted to isolate the internal environment of the container, accessible through the air evacuation hole, from the external environment having a different pressure.

It is noted that the embodiment proposed for the present invention in the previous discussion is merely exemplifying and not limiting the present invention. A person skilled in the art of the field will be able to easily carry out the present invention in different embodiments, which nevertheless do not depart from the principles discussed in this document, and therefore are included in the present patent.

30 This applies in particular to the possibility of providing the valve with a plurality of punching members, for example arranged in accordance with a specific geometric design (such as a triangle, square, etc.). Accordingly, the coating 30 may have sealing ring conformations that extend along a closed path containing all the punching members, or a plurality of sealing paths.

35 sealing ring that are concentric with respect to each punching member.

In figure 2a, a set of parts of a vacuum packaging system according to the principles of the invention is shown.

40 In detail, a plurality of sealing valves 10 is shown, with one that has previously been coupled to a conventional sealed sheet metal lid L, and a manually operated vacuum pump (or suction pump) 40 to create the vacuum in a container C closed by the sealed lid L provided with the valve.

In Fig. 2b, the vacuum pump 40 associated with the container C is shown by suction and in a vacuum creation state.

Vacuum pump 40 is a conventional, manually operated alternative mechanical pump, comprising a sliding piston with an alternative movement within a cylinder. It is adapted to perform, first of all, the suction of air from the container C towards a suction chamber delimited by the walls of the cylinder and by the

50 piston base. Secondly, it performs the compression and release of the sucked air from the aforementioned chamber to the external environment, through an opening or a suitable outlet flow valve.

With reference to the figures, and in particular to the views in section 3a-3h, the pump 40 has a cylindrical body 42 open at the base, within which a hollow cylindrical plunger 44 is slidably disposed. Such a plunger is

55 extends over the entire length of the cylinder until it emerges at its upper part, where it is coupled to a drive handle 46, in the embodiment shown a handle with a generally conical shape, stably coupled to the plunger, for example, by means Docking 48 bayonet.

The internal recess 50 of the plunger thus lends itself to be used as a space for storing a reserve of 60 unused valves.

The piston has, at its base 52, a recess 54 having the shape and size corresponding to the closing body 12 of the valve, which defines a temporary housing for retaining a valve 10 intended to be inserted into a cover. Advantageously, the valve to be introduced is retained in the housing simply by friction between the

65 coating 30 of the lateral surface of the valve body 12 and the recess walls 54.

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5 The piston 44 is mounted in a sliding and sealing manner on the cylinder 42, by interposing an elastically deformable V-shaped seal 60, which has an inner lip 62 fixed on the outer surface of the plunger, in a circumferential seat respectively, and a flexible outer lip 64 adapted to adopt an open position in contact with the cylinder in a suction stage, and a contracted position, closer to the inner lip 62, which causes the opening of an opening 66 of circumferential outlet flow between the ring and the

10 internal wall of the cylinder, in a discharge stage.

Figures 3a-3h describe in detail the different steps of installing a valve in the lid L of a container according to the invention, as well as the operations necessary to create the vacuum in a container provided with such a valve.

Figure 3a shows, in sectional view, a pump 40 according to the invention in an idle state. In space 50, five valves are contained for use with the same number of containers.

As shown in Figure 3b, when unscrewing, or disconnecting in any case the handle 46 of the piston 44 of the

20, the access to the space is opened and a valve 10 is removed. The valve is then manually arranged in the seat 54 (figure 3c) by exerting a weak pressure in order to overcome the friction friction between the coating 30 and the walls of the seat itself.

The pump that supports the valve retained in the appropriate housing can be used as a tool for

25 punching and the consequent introduction of the valve into the lid, as depicted in the sequence of operations illustrated in Figures 3d-3f. The piston 44 is partially raised and the pump is placed in the cover, with which it is in contact by means of the support flange 58. Next, operating on the handle and imparting a sudden downward movement to the plunger, the valve is guided to pierce the lid with the necessary force, in the right direction. In this way, the valve introduction operation is facilitated with

30 with respect to the case in which pressure would simply be exerted on the valve body, since difficulties would arise here to firmly grasp the valve and avoid unwanted sliding thereof on the surface of the cover.

In the figures, the hole made by introducing the valve punching member is indicated by H.

35 As stated above, once the valve is inserted into the cover, the valve is stably retained in the seat by virtue of the operation of the tip formation 24 which, by putting itself in support against the open edge of the hole H, opposes the removal movement of the punching member.

40 Starting from this state, an operation can be carried out to evacuate air from the container, if necessary to vacuum pack the product enclosed therein. The evacuation takes place by alternatively operating the pump between the suction and compression stages, as shown in figures 3g and 3h.

During suction, the piston 44 rises from a starting position of a suction stroke, in which the

The piston base is flush with the opening at the bottom of the cylinder (such condition is achieved by the support of the piston on the flange 58 of the support collar and / or by the support of the handle portion 46 on the top of the cylinder), to an end position of the suction stroke, in which the bottom of the plunger defines a suction chamber 70 with the side walls inside the cylinder. The movement of the plunger is indicated by the associated arrow, represented in Figure 3g.

At this stage, air is sucked from the container through the defined evacuation opening between the edge of the evacuation hole H and the stem 22 of the sealing valve. The sealing gasket 60 adopts an open position, where it avoids any passage of air from an upper release gap 80 (defined between the facing walls of the cylinder and the plunger) to the suction chamber 70, which is thus filled only with container air The

The air path is identified by the curves A shown in the container and around the valve, towards the suction chamber.

During compression, the plunger descends from a starting position of a compression stroke, which coincides with the final suction position obtained, to a final position of the compression stroke, in which

60 realign with the bottom of the cylinder, substantially canceling the volume of the suction chamber. The movement of the plunger is indicated by the arrow associated therewith, shown in Figure 3h.

In this stage, the sealing gasket 60 adopts a contracted position, whereby it allows the passage of air from the suction chamber 70 to the discharge opening 80, and hence the air outlet flow through air flow openings.

65 suitable output (not shown). The air path is identified by the curves A shown between the

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The compression of the air in the suction chamber has the effect of exerting a pressure on the closing body of the valve that is greater than the reduced pressure that is created inside the container, so that the closing body is pressed on the lid due to external atmospheric pressure, closing any possible return path of air in the container.

Instead, in a subsequent stage of suction, partial elevation of the closing body from the surface of the lid occurs, and thus the air evacuation opening is reopened.

10 Suction and compression maneuvers, in rapid succession, allow a significant reduced pressure to be obtained within the vessel with minimal effort and in a short time. Such reduced pressure is effective for the extended preservation of food or other perishable products, such as paints, gunpowder, screws and hardware in general and electronic components, and is advantageous with respect to a simple atmospheric pressure seal.

In an alternative embodiment, shown in Figures 4a-4d, the collar 56 at the base of the cylinder 42 has a circular plate 90 in its center, flexibly connected to the support flange 58 of the pump 40 on the cover by means of a plurality of elastic support tongues 92. The plate has a recess 94 with shape and size corresponding to the closing body 12 of the valve, which defines a temporary housing for retaining a valve

20 10 intended to be inserted into a lid. Advantageously, the valve to be introduced is retained in its seat by simple friction between the lining 30 of the lateral surface of the valve body 12 and the walls of the recess 94. Figures 4b and 4c show an enlarged perspective view of the base collar 56, and Figure 4d shows collar 56 in a valve retention state.

25 The plate 90 is placed in an elevated position with respect to the support flange 58 of the pump on the cover, due to the L-shaped conformation of the tabs 92, in such a way that it can accommodate a valve 10 intended to be inserted into the cover in contact with the surface of the cover itself when the pump cylinder 42 rests on it.

The pump that supports the valve retained in the suitable seat can be used as a tool for the perforation and consequent introduction of the valve in the cover, in a manner substantially analogous to that shown in the sequence of operations of Figures 3d-3f.

When the pump is placed on the cover and the piston 44 is partially raised, the valve is retained in contact

35 with the lid itself through its punching tip. Then, to operate on the handle, and impart a sudden downward movement to the plunger, it hits the plate 90 at the end of its stroke. Due to the deformation of the support tabs that follows the force imparted by the downward plunger, the plate 90 adopts a lowered position, which presses the valve on the cover with the force necessary to pierce it in the correct direction.

40 Similarly, in this case, the operation of introducing the valve is facilitated with respect to the case in which pressure would simply be applied on the valve body, when difficulties would arise to firmly grasp the valve and avoid unwanted sliding of the valve. on the surface of the lid.

Advantageously, in subsequent air evacuation operations in which the pump is operated alternately between the suction and compression stages, the starting position of the suction stroke has the piston resting on the plate 90 when the latter is placed in a high resting position, so that the piston no longer interferes with the valve inserted in the cover during its oscillating movement and therefore the valve experiences no stress against the inner surface of the cover. Such a state of tension could (with prolonged use)

50 cause excessive wear of the formation of the tip of the valve or of the edge of the hole on which it is coupled in support, with the risk of accidentally removing the valve from the created seat.

In Fig. 5a, a final state of vacuum packaging obtained according to the procedure described in accordance with the invention is shown. The valve 10 remains stably in contact with the cover L through the layer

55 covering which acts as a sealing ring, and causes the air vent hole to be sealed. The difference in pressure between the volume inside the container, where a reduced pressure was created, and the external environment causes a net compression force to act on the container, and specifically on the valve (indicated by the arrows P in the figure), which helps keep the valve itself in position on the cover.

60 The operation of a user who, with a tool or simply by hand, operates on the edge of the valve closing body, lifting it from the lid, will be sufficient to open an air inlet channel to the container, due to the pressure reduced preexisting.

65 It is noted that, by virtue of obtaining the punching member of plastic material, unlike a tip of

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5 Finally, Figures 6a-6d show different applications of a vacuum sealed closure system for receptacles, provided with a sealing valve according to the present invention.

In the figures, different receptacles are shown that in any case are adapted for vacuum packaging, such as a bowl, an espresso cup, a bottle and a tray, the latter conveniently adapted

10 to preserve packaged food.

The valve 10 described above is previously coupled to a disk-shaped lid 100, whose surface intended to be at least partially turned towards the inside of the receptacle is coated with a food-grade deformable plastic material, such as the press, silicone, etc. ., adapted to form a ring of

15 airtight seal for the receptacle in cooperation with the edges of the mouth.

The receptacle can be any container that has a regular mouth, that is, that is completely in a horizontal plane, and the lid 100 simply sits on it. The creation of reduced pressure inside the receptacle achieves the effect of additionally retaining the lid in position. Naturally, in the case of

20 receptacles such as bottles, jars or the like, which have a mouth at the end of a long and narrow neck, the lid can be replaced with a cap that can have a coating adapted to adjust externally or be inserted inside the neck of the bottle, both made of deformable plastic material and adapted to form a sealing ring with the mouth of the container.

Of course, without detriment to the principles of the invention, the embodiments and details of embodiments may vary widely with respect to those described and illustrated above as a mere non-limiting example, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. defined by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

image 1 1. A vacuum sealing valve (10) adapted to be applied to a lid (L) for the tight sealing of a container (C) for the packaging of products, particularly food products, comprising a closure body (12) 5 arranged to seal a hole (H) for evacuating air from the container (C), in which at least one punching member (14) emerges from said closure body (12), said punching member being arranged to pierce the lid (L) that closes the container (C) and to form said evacuation hole (H), characterized in that the closing body (12) is provided with a front sealing portion, provided with a coating (30) made of material deformable and shaped so that it forms at least one crest (34) that extends along a 10 closed path around said at least one punching member (14). 2. A valve (10) according to claim 1, wherein said punching member (14) is integrally formed with the closure body (12). A valve (10) according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the punching member (14) comprises a rod (22) having at its free end a punching head (24) projecting transversely and provided with a sharp point (28), said punching head (24) defining a pointed formation (26) adapted to be applied to the edge of the evacuation hole (H) in an assembled state in order to prevent the complete extraction of the valve (10) of said hole (H). twenty 4. A valve (10) according to claim 4, wherein the closing body (12) is provided with a perimeter sheath (30) made of a material having a high coefficient of elastic deformation and a high pneumatic seal . 25 5. A vacuum packaging system, comprising: - at least one vacuum sealing valve (10) adapted to be applied to a lid (L) for air-tight closure of a container (C) for the packaging of products, particularly food products, comprising a closing body ( 12) arranged to seal a hole (H) to evacuate air from the container (C), and at least one 30 punching member (14) emerging from said closure body (12) and arranged to pierce the lid (L) that closes the container (C) and to form said evacuation hole (H), wherein the closure body (12) is provided with a front sealing portion provided with a coating (30) made of deformable material and shaped so as to form at least one ridge (34) that extends along a closed path around said at least a punching element (14); Y 35 - a vacuum pump (40) for evacuating air from said container (C) comprising a sliding piston (44) with an alternative movement inside a suction cylinder (42) suitable for coupling to the container (C) by a base in correspondence with an air evacuation hole (H) that can be closed by said vacuum sealing valve (10), in which 40 The base of the pump (40) has a recess (54; 94) that has a shape and size that correspond to the body (12) of the vacuum sealing valve (10), which is adapted to form a housing for retaining the valve (10), and assuming an elevated position and a lowered position whereby the lowering of the piston (44) allows the valve to be introduced into a lid (L) of said container (C). Four. Five

6.

A vacuum packaging system according to claim 5, wherein said recess (54) adapted to form a housing for retaining the valve (10) is made at the base of the plunger (44).

7.

A vacuum packaging system according to claim 5, wherein said recess (94) adapted for

50 forming a housing to retain the valve (10) is made at the base of the cylinder (42) in an elevated position with respect to a support formation (58) of the pump on the cover, and can reach a lowered position after the plunger lowering movement (44). 8. A vacuum packaging system according to claim 5, adapted to perform air suction 55 which is present inside the container (C), and the compression of the sucked air and its subsequent release to the external environment, comprising a V-shaped sealing ring (60), elastically deformable, disposed between the inner wall of the cylinder (42) and the outer wall of the plunger (44), which has an inner lip (62) fixed to said plunger wall (44), and a flexible outer lip (64), adapted to adopt an open position in contact with said cylinder wall (42) in a suction stage, and a retracted position, closer to the inner lip (62), which 60 causes the opening of a circumferential orifice (66) of flow outlet between the ring (60) and the inner wall of the cylinder (42), in a discharge passage. 9. A vacuum packaging system according to any of claims 5-8, wherein the plunger (44) It has a hollow cylindrical body, whose inner cavity (50) forms a space for storing a reserve of valves 65 (10). 8